It’s been a long winter, and it’s only the second week of January. So we have the perfect cure – a girl’s night out with us! And beer! and fun! Mark your calendars for Tuesday night, Jan. 21, from 7 to 9 p.m. as Chambanamoms.com presents a Girls Night Out at JT Walker’s Brewery in Mahomet.
We’re super excited to try out this newly opened local brewery and see what the fuss is about. We love the laid-back and super chill ambiance, and we’re excited to have many of you attend.
Here’s the 411: Admission to this event is totally free, but it is a private event for chambanamoms.com readers. Beer flights and samples will be available to purchase and JTW will provide free appetizers from the restaurant across the street. There will also be some giveaways from JT Walker’s and chambanamoms.com. But most of all, we want you to have FUN!
To get the scoop on JT Walker’s Brewery, we talked to the man himself. JT Walker’s is the namesake of owner Justin Taylor, who has been committed to bringing nightlife to downtown Mahomet for years. He’s also a new dad, with son Walker born in November.
Q: The story of how you brought the brew pub to Mahomet is one of perseverance. How did you make this thing happen?
Justin Taylor: It was a long process that we started back in 2011. We had the idea of brewing our own beer we just needed to put all the pieces together. We had to get a few local laws changed, we had a terrible time with getting our brewing license and we had to get the brewery built. So it was quite a project. We just had to keep at it until we got it all done and finally got the doors open.
Q: We love the local touches – why was it important for you to bring this business to Mahomet?
We already had the restaurant, which we have really tried to make it as much about the local people and the history of Mahomet. So we wanted to carry that over to the brewery. We wanted to showcase Mahomet and Champaign County, and the rich history that it has to tell.
Q: What can we expect from a night out at JT Walker’s Brewery?
The brewery is a very laid back experience. We have music playing, but no televisions. We have brewing and beer magazines on the tables, playing cards and two dart boards. It is a place to hangout and have conversations, whether they are with friends or strangers. And of course there is some great beer on tap.
Q: Not only did the brewery open in November, but you welcomed your first child then as well. How is fatherhood treating you so far?
It has been pretty crazy with a bunch of major life events all happening at once, but that kind of has been the norm with me over the last couple years. I haven’t been very good about spreading things out, they all happen at once. Having a son is pretty unreal sometimes. It has wrecked havoc on my work and sleeping schedule, but that is to be expected.
Justin Taylor, owner of JT Walker’s Brewery in Mahomet, became a dad in November. Photo provided
Q: How has your son’s birth impacted how you view and run the business?
A month after he was born we released a beer named after him, Walker’s Original Cream Stout. We happened to tap the first keg on my brother Jordan’s birthday, for who Walker gets his middle name. So that was definitely special. I know my brother would have loved to be around to see that. Having a family in many ways is like running a business. They are both fun and rewarding, but they take a lot of time and hard work in order for them to be the way you want them to be.
